Suu Kyi vows to greater fights (The

Subject: Suu Kyi vows to greater fights (The Asian Age, 5/1/97)
Pro-democracy parties in Burma to step up struggle against junta despite
restrictions
Suu Kyi vows greater fights
The Asian Age, 5/1/97 (New Delhi)
BY DEBORAH CHARLES
Rangoon, Jan. 4: Burmese Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi marked the
nation's 49th anniversary of Independence on Saturday with a vow to step
up efforts to bring democracy to Burma despite restrictions on her and
her supporters.
"We are going to continue with the work we have set out for ourselves,
which is to achieve democracy for Burma," said Ms Suu Kyi, daughter of
General Aung San who was killed as he was finalising of Burma's
Independence from Britain.
"My father did not give up his life that Burma might be crushed under the
military's boot," Ms Suu Kyi told a news conference during an
Independence Day celebration. "He gave up his life that Burma might be
free ... because he thought that only in a free Burma would people be
able to realise their full potential. We are confident that without
democracy, Burma can never be the kind of country that the fathers of
Independence envisaged," she said.
The ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council made a surprising move
on Saturday when it allowed Ms Suu Kyi and her National League for
Democracy party to hold celebrations at her residence.
For the past month Ms Suu Kyi has been under close scrutiny, and
virtually confined to her house as the military government restricted her
movements and visitors in the wake of a series of student street
demonstrations and bombings in the capital.
Although she said she appreciated the fact the SLORC allowed about 1,500
NLD members, invited guests and media to pass through barricades blocking
access to her street to attend the celebration, she blasted the
government for its restrictive measures and crackdowns on the democracy
movement.
"A little bit more co-operation on the side of the authorities would mean
a lot of co-operation on our side," she said. She added, the party
planned to actively recruit new members this year, despite a 1991 law
banning political parties from increasing in size.
The NLD won a landslide victory in a 1990 election, but has never taken
power because the government refused to recognise the results of the
poll. (Reuter)